Days like masquerades, silent, hiding in the shadows, stripped of their disguise leave you haunted as you scatter.
But you're always on my mind.
You're always on my mind.

When you feel lost out at sea,
surrounded by on equal sides the same routine,
Becoming what you swore you'd never be. Don't distress,
there's a big bright place if you stay close to me.
Take a breath, and I'll show you what matters.

You're always on my mind.
You're always on my mind.

Days like masquerades, take a breath and feel what matters.

Take a breath and feel it.

Days like Masquerades by The Academy Is...

Chapter numero dos (BPOV)

It had been about a week since I ran into Edward and nothing had changed. He still ignored everyone and I still kept to myself. The little romantic girl in me wished he would suddenly realize I'm amazing and come after me demanding my hand. But thankfully, I always knew the difference between reality and a dream.

I was sitting in my room on a Saturday afternoon, bored. I'd never been bored before. I had a routine for the weekends and usually it kept me content. Friday night was devoted towards homework. But I hadn't had any homework last night, which through off my routine right from the start. Saturdays are meant for reading. But I had no books to read, I'd read them all. Sundays were TV days. I occupied the couch all day Sunday catching up on my DVR and pigging out.

It was routine. And once you stepped out of a routine, it was hard to get back into it.

So here I was on a Saturday, sitting in my room, on my bed, staring at a wall. These were one of the few times I wished I lived in a town bigger than the size of just Manhattan itself. You could fit all of Forks in Manhattan comfortably, and still have room for more people. We had no movie theater, we had no park, we had nothing. We didn't even have a McDonalds. Of course, there was La Push beach about twenty minutes away, but going to the beach alone is just embarrassing.

So I settled for going grocery shopping. We needed food and I'd been putting it off long enough. I walked downstairs knowing my dad wasn't home. He was probably at work, like always. That's all he ever did these days.

The small town grocery store here was pathetic, to say the least. I yearned for a Wal-Mart or a Target. But we don't always get what we want.

The store only housed the basics. No fancy boxed dinner meals. The barely had frozen pizzas.

I stuffed my Ipod headphones into my ears and made my way inside the store. I saw a few students from work checking people out. At least they'd been lucky enough to get a job around here. Jobs were scarce for parents, much less for teenagers.

We only needed the basics: bread, lunch meant, regular meat, chips, ect, ect. I was rounding the cookie aisle when I ran into someone…again.

My subconscious automatically replayed what happened with Edward but when I looked at the person I realized it wasn't Edward. But it was close.

Alice Cullen stood there in all her five foot glory, smiling at me.

"I'm sorry for running into you! I guess I shouldn't take these turns so sharply." Her voice was nothing like Edward's. It was high pitched and airy. She spoke kind of fast, but she enunciated every syllable.

I shook my head. "It's completely my fault! I seem to be running into people a lot." My mind replayed again what happened with Edward.

Alice looked confused for a moment, but then replaced with a questioning look. "I think I've seen you before…"

I nodded my head. "I go to school with you, my name is Bella." My chest began to tingle. This is the most I've ever spoke to anyone since my Mom died. It made me nervous.

"Bella?" She asked, another look coming into her eyes. It was one I did not recognize. "Is there anyone else at our school named Bella?"

I shook my head, "I don't think so."

Alice's eyes immediately brightened. "Well I like it! I'm so glad I've been able to put a face to the name, and I must say what a pretty face it is. I will have to tell of my approval!"

I blushed when she called me pretty, but I was more confused than anything. It's like she was speaking in a completely different language. In fact, she reminded me of the Hobbit, Pippin, from Lord of the Rings. "What?" I asked.

She looked at me. "Did I say all that out loud?"

I nodded, still confused.

"Well crap, he's going to kill me…but he'll never find out. Yeah, he won't ever find out. So don't tell him, okay?"

If I was confused before, I was lost now. "Who's him and what can I not tell him?" I was starting to annoy myself. I always hated when people asked so many questions, especially if I didn't know the answer.

"You don't know?"

I shook my head because I really didn't know.

Now Alice looked a little pissed. She started murmuring and I couldn't make out what she was saying. She looked up at me and said, "Just forget everything I just said." Then her phone rang, she looked at the caller ID and smiled. "I'll see you on Monday, Bella."

But I couldn't forget what she'd said. Not at all. I spent the rest of the day trying to figure out whom the 'him' she was talking about was.

And my mind kept going back to one person. Edward.

As much as that thought gave me butterflies it also gave me a headache. Ever since my mom died I haven't had to worry about other people. I'd always just had myself, and that comforted me. Because I couldn't let me down. And now here I was, worrying about people. Actually, I was stressing over people.

If Edward was the 'him' then that means he had noticed me. And maybe since he had noticed me, maybe he liked me. But that was all one big maybe. I just needed to know who this 'him' was. And I had feeling I'd find out Monday.

Speaking of Monday, what had Alice meant by saying she'd 'see me Monday'? Did she mean she was going to come find me and talk to me? Or did she just mean that 'I'll just wave at you on Monday?'

I heaved a sigh of frustration as I cooked and dinner and thought this over for the hundredth time. And it really was the hundredth time. I'd kept track.

I went to sleep that night with something else entirely on my mind.

It was my mom.

Ever since she got sick and died I've tried not to think about her. I've tried to forget she ever existed, but it was hard.

That night I didn't dream, and I was thankful. The last thing I needed was some cryptic dream. I hated those.

Sunday flew by as I sat on the couch pigging and catching up on Glee. I knew everyone loved that TV show, but I didn't really care. I liked it and I always got goose bumps when they performed together. For some reason, it empowered me.

It was Monday before I knew it and I found myself getting ready with a little more care. I took time with my plain brown hair and made sure it framed my face just the right way. I wore a nicer outift than usual and put on a little more make up. I wasn't even with Edward and I found myself changing for him. I was such a girl.

My morning classes went by smoothly and quickly. I was ignored, I ignored. It was a normal day. But as I was walking to lunch my stomach was full of knots. And not little knots, huge, huge knots. I walked in the cafeteria and made myself not look at Edward's table.

I paid for my food and walked toward my regular table. If Alice wanted to speak to me, she could come and get me.

And that she did. Just as I was about to sit down I felt someone tug at my elbow. "Over here," It was not a question but a command.

I kept my eyes on my food as we walked over there. I didn't have the confidence to look at Edward just yet. When we got to their table I looked around. Emmett, Rosalie and Jasper Hale looked at me with confused eyes but happy smiles.

"Everyone this is Bella." Alice said motioning to me. I waved back, shy.

"The Bella?" Emmett asked with raised eyebrows. Alice nodded at him and once again I was confused.

Alice lead me to a chair next to her and I noticed there was one empty seat in front of me. And it just now hit me Edward wasn't here.

But I didn't ask where he was because his friends didn't need to know of my obsession.

I started eating and the conversation started. Emmett and Jasper were a comical duo and I found myself easily slipping into their group. The couples soon slipped into their own conversation and I was left to my own devices. I looked up just as Edward got to the table, evidently not seeing me. And once he did, he looked mad.

He shot a furious look at Alice, whom had now noticed him. Something passed between them and I couldn't read it.

But before Alice could say anything, Edward swiftly turned around and walked away.

I looked down, my feelings hurt. What had I done?

AN: Two chapters in two days! A record, perhaps? Right now this story is extremely easy to write. All the words just seem to flow out. But out of experience the longer I write one story, the harder it is for me. Every chapter will have a snippet of a song at the beginning that I think represents that chapter. So maybe you all can discover some new music ;) Another chapter should be out on Tuesday, I believe. But hey I said it would take two weeks to get this one out, and I was wrong about that!

PLEASE REVIEW :)

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